Carlos A. Gimenez

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Grafe family and their remarkable legacy of farming, perseverance, and dedication to South Florida agriculture.

The Grafe family's farming tradition began in 1890, when Emil Moritz Grafe immigrated from Germany through Ellis Island and began farming on Staten Island, New York. As the country changed, so did the family. In 1919, they moved south and purchased land in Miami before establishing a home and flower farm in South Dade in 1925.

For generations, the Grafe family continued to grow and adapt, farming vegetables and fruit before building a successful cut-flower business. In 1975, Herbert Grafe III established Grafe's Cut Flowers, eventually growing nearly 30 acres of flowers that were sold throughout Miami and shipped across the country.

After increased competition from imported flowers forced the business to close in 1998, Herbert continued his agricultural career at Knaus Berry Farm until his retirement in 2024. Today, he carries on the family tradition by tending his lychee grove.

For more than 130 years, the Grafe family has remained rooted in agriculture. Their story represents the hard work, resilience, and pioneering spirit that have helped shape South Dade and our agricultural community. It is my privilege to recognize the Grafe family and honor their generations of contributions to South Florida agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Miami's historic Big Five Club as it celebrates its 59th anniversary and nearly six decades of service to South Florida's Cuban-American community.

The story of the Big Five is inseparable from the story of the Cuban exile community in Miami. Founded by Cuban exiles under the leadership of Dr. Manuel R. Morales, the Club brought together families associated with five of Havana's great social institutions: the Havana Yacht Club, Vedado Tennis Club, Casino Espanol, Havana Biltmore Yacht and Country Club, and Miramar Yacht Club.

Forced to flee their homeland following the rise of the communist dictatorship, these families rebuilt their lives in Miami while preserving the traditions, values, and sense of community they brought from Cuba. From its earliest days, the Big Five has stood for God, country, family, Cuban traditions, freedom, and democracy. For generations, it has been a place where Cuban families could celebrate our culture, play sports, enjoy music and dominoes, build lifelong friendships, and pass our traditions from one generation to the next.

For me, this anniversary is also deeply personal. My father and my family were members of the Big Five for decades, and like so many Cuban families in Miami, we shared countless moments there with friends and loved ones. The Club became part of the fabric of the Cuban exiles community.

The Big Five represents far more than a social club. It represents an exile generation that arrived in America having lost its homeland but refused to lose its identity. They rebuilt their lives, raised their families, strengthened Miami, and kept alive their love for a free Cuba.

It is my privilege to congratulate the leadership, members, families, and friends of the Big Five Club on its 59th anniversary. May the Big Five continue to serve our community for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Jose L. Dotres, superintendent of Miami-Dade Public Schools, following a distinguished career dedicated to education and public service.

Dr. Dotres arrived in Miami at 5 years old as an immigrant. He graduated from Miami-Dade County Public Schools and ultimately dedicated his career to serving the same school community that welcomed him.

Dr. Dotres has served as a teacher, reading coach, principal, district administrator, and senior leader. As superintendent, he led the third-largest school district in our Nation, serving more than 300,000 students and 34,000 employees.

His accomplishments include induction into the Miami Dade College Alumni Hall of Fame, Barry University's Distinguished Alumni Award, and service as president of the Florida Association of District Superintendents.

As Dr. Dotres begins this new chapter, I congratulate him on his retirement and thank him for his decades of service to the students, teachers, and families of Miami-Dade County.

Mr. Speaker, I wish him and his family all the best.